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During 1942 and 1943, as German U-Boats lurked off the east coast of the United States, the Florida Straits proved a particularly fertile hunting ground for Nazi submarines.
As America was unprepared when war arrived in December 1941, there were few resources available to defend America’s eastern seaboard and the valuable merchant shipping that hugged the coast. In those dangerous early days of the war at sea, one of America’s prime defenders was the normally docile “blimp”.
The Solution?
In 1939, the U.S. Navy developed the K-Craft airship, or blimp, which would become a workhorse during WWII used to patrol for Nazi U-boats and provide important cover for Allied convoys. The blimps were equipped with the ASG-type radar, featuring a detection range of 90 miles and magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) equipment.
The K-ships carried four Mk-47 depth bombs (with two in a bomb bay and two on external pylons), as well as a .50 cal Browning M2 machine gun in the front of the control car. A crew of 10 was standard on K-ships, made up of a commander/pilot, a navigator/pilot, two co-pilots, an airship rigger, an ordnance chief, two aircraft mechanics, and two radio operators.
The K-Ships could remain aloft for about 24 hours, making them ideal for anti-submarine warfare as well as search and rescue missions. Blimp patrols were generally long and uneventful, but one remarkable incident involving a Navy blimp made for one of the most amazing stories of World War II.
The Duel
On the night of July 18, 1943, the U.S. Navy blimp K-74 (from Blimp Squadron ZP-21 based at NAS Richmond, Florida) was engaged in convoy escort duties over the Florida Straits.
During this flight, K-74’s onboard radar located a German submarine running on the surface. As no American units were available to engage the enemy and as the U-Boat was proceeding directly towards the convoy, K-74’s commander decided to attack with everything they had.
There is some confusion if K-74’s depth bombs failed to release during the attack, but damage below the sub’s waterline would indicate that at least one depth bomb did explode nearby. K-74’s crew engaged the sub with the .50-caliber MG mounted in the nose of the gondola, as well as their personal weapons — including a Thompson SMG and M1911 pistols.
Return fire from the U-Boat’s 20mm AA guns knocked out one of K-74’s engines, punctured the gasbag in several places and wounded one crewman.
In return, K-74’s fire damaged the submarine, the hammering from the big .50-caliber rounds damaged the sub’s hull, rendering it unable to submerge. U-134 left the area, limping back to its base in France on the surface. She never made it home. U-134 was sunk with all hands aboard on August 27, 1943, in the Bay of Biscay, by the British frigate HMS Rother.
As for K-74, the damaged blimp crashed into the sea. While the crew was in the water waiting to be rescued by the U.S. Navy destroyer Dahlgren, tragedy struck when the wounded crewman was attacked by sharks and disappeared.
The rest of the crew was rescued. Thus ended the only known gun battle involving a U.S. Navy blimp, and the only loss of an airship crewman due to enemy action.
Before withdrawing from the area, crewmen from U-134 boarded K-74’s floating gondola and photographed parts of the wreck. These images were passed to another U-boat along with the description of the battle with K-74. The U.S. Navy did not know of their existence until they were discovered in West Germany in 1957.
Additional Firepower
About 15 years ago, I found a handful of photos in the U.S. Navy collection at the U.S. National Archives — the images showed an experimental mounting of a Browning Automatic Rifle in the gondola of a Navy K-ship blimp.
Although the photos were dated “October 1943”, there is no way to know for sure if the experimental BAR mount was initially conceived before or after K-74’s gunfight with U-134, but testing of additional armament for the K-Ships was accelerated after the blimp’s combat with the sub.
No doubt that the accurate and hard-hitting BAR would have been a tremendous help to the K-74 crew in their gunfight with U-134. As far as is known, no BARs were ever mounted on K-ships on active duty.
Conclusion
So there you have it — what must be one of the most bizarre battles of World War II, fought off the coast of the United States by two extremely unlikely opponents. One was a blimp never truly intended for battle, but one that did in fact manage to wound its deadly opponent and seal its ultimate fate.
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Junior Parachute Company
In all its full glory, the Keith #5. Photo by Matthew Peake.
When Elmer Keith had his famous #5 built, he started a tradition among sixgunners like no other. Much like today, the most frugal of men happily send money for a custom sixgun to be made to their specifications. Many simply imitate Keith’s famous #5 sixgun with a grip-frame swap, like those manufactured by grip guru Ronnie Wells. While never on social media, Elmer was the original influencer for sixgunners, and all before the days of cell phones, iPads, and computers!
A few “counterfeits” #5’s by top, Alan Harton, Hamilton Bowen, and Bobby Tyler, for a group picture.
All having roots directly related to Elmer.
The Beginning
To understand the full story, we must start with Elmer inviting Harold Croft to Durkee, Oregon, for a month’s visit back in 1927. Intrigued, Croft accepts, wanting to witness Elmer shoot the long-range distances he wrote about in American Rifleman magazine.
Croft brought a “suitcase full of guns,” as Elmer described. Upon arrival, Elmer nailed some boards together, making a 4’x4′ target and set it out a measured 700 yards away. Using his sitting “Keith” position, hands locked between his knees, head resting on his saddle, Elmer starts shooting, hitting the target with every gun Croft brought. Keith even hit the board with a 2″ slip-gun. Croft became a true believer. Elmer was the real deal!
Croft invested much time and money improving standard Colt SAAs, looking to develop lightweight weapons for self-defense. He designed four different featherweight models from SA Army and Bisley Colts, calling them #1 through #4.
Some customs from the Tyler Gun Works shop all showing some Elmer influence.
#3 is #5?
Elmer regarded Croft’s #3 grip as perfect, considering it “the finest ever put on a sixgun.” It consisted of a Bisley backstrap mated with an SAA guard and front strap, the Bisley back strap was bent to the same angle as the SAA front strap and guard.
Excited, Elmer sent a Colt back with Croft, “to be worked over,” explaining the features he wanted from Croft’s guns, along with a few of his own ideas. Elmer wanted the #3 grip frame, along with target front and rear sights. He also wants the gun to be left full weight, not reduced, for better balance.
Custom sixguns can be basic, or fancy. It all depends on choice and how much you want to spend.
These are more of Tyler Gun Works samples. Photo by Matthew Peake.
Fantastic Features
The most distinguishing characteristic of Keith’s #5 is the grip frame itself, which blends a Colt Bisley backstrap with the front strap/trigger guard of a Colt SAA. Sedgley, a master gunsmith from Philadelphia, welds up the frame into a flat top, extending it over the hammer top, to maximize sight radius. Sedgley then welds the #3 grip design for Elmer’s gun and makes a new “V” mainspring, designed by him and Croft, fitting it perfectly.
This spring is less prone to breakage and faster and more sensitive than standard flat springs. The hammer was previously made by J.D. O’Meara, who fitted a Bisley hammer top/spur to the lower of an SAA hammer, then dovetailing and brazing them together.
Besides the grip frame from Croft’s #3 gun, the Base Pin Locking Latch is the second most recognizable feature on the #5. Gunsmith R.F. Sedgley designs the mechanism, which positively locks the base pin in place, making it impossible to “jump” from recoil. A swinging latch mounted on the frame fits into a square groove of the base pin.
Elmer also wanted an oversized base pin head for easy removal in the field, the third most recognizable part of the #5, the large hourglass-shaped base pin head. He also demanded adjustable target sights for this sixgun, allowing him to dial in handloads for distant targets. His specifications made the gun more user-friendly for daily tasks while working as a cowpuncher.
In a nutshell, Elmer desired an accurate, reliable sixgun capable of shooting heavy handloads accurately — the #5 fitting the bill perfectly. Keith talks of the finished product in his article “The Last Word” describing the gun and its merits in the April 1929 issue of American Rifleman. Elmer set the stage for sixgunners to build custom guns to their own specifications.
The real McCoy next to a recent custom. Photo by Matthew Peake.
Friendly Advice
Get your hands on a #5 grip-frame before committing to one. Things I noticed from examining Elmer’s #5 is that having a gun with a comfortable grip frame is very relevant. For my hand, it should have been a tad longer so my pinky could also grip the frame, providing more comfort and control.
Having adjustable, sturdy sights is also a must if you demand top-notch accuracy. Also, being well-balanced makes its weight appear lighter. Elmer’s #5 was deceptively light when first picking it up. It was a natural pointer, too, with sights automatically lining up when aiming. These are the traits to strive for with a custom build. As has been said, Elmer’s influence was merely getting the conversation started for custom builds.
We can see the #5’s influence in several factory-made sixguns, too. Luckily, we have more resources than ever before to have our dream guns built today, thanks to the influence of Elmer’s #5. He had his gun engraved, not to be fancy, but rather to cover up, or conceal, the numerous scuffs and scrapes it endured from daily use.
Elmer stated, “I killed 59 magpies, around two dozen crows and hawks, six horned owls, and a bobcat, to say nothing of over a hundred blacktail jack rabbits and a few woodchucks. It does excellent work at long range.”
Speaking of accuracy, Elmer states, “using a charge of five grains of Bullseye and a 250-grain cast bullet, sized to 0.431″, I put five shots under a silver dollar at 15 yards. Such accuracy is good for me and will get meat when I need it.”
From top, a factory Ruger Bisley, Magnum Research BFR custom shop Bisley, and a Linebaugh custom,
all with Bisley grip frames.
Bisley Background
The famous Bisley Matches date back to the 19th century and are associated with the Victorian-era clubhouse first built in 1865, then moving to its current location, Bisley, England in 1895.
The matches challenged shooters to wring the most out of their guns and shooting skills. Colt released its Target Model in 1894. It had a flat top, complete with drift-adjustable rear sights and a removable blade front sight. The Target Model also had a funny-shaped grip …
The Target Colt proved itself at the Bisley Matches and later became commonly known as the Colt Bisley after further refinements were made to the grip-frame and hammer.
A few samples of Ronnie Wells grip-frames.
Magnum Research
Magnum Research added their rendition of the Bisley grip frame as an option to their BFR line around 2015. A few years ago, I tested their version of Elmer Keith’s #5 in .500 Linebaugh. Their version of the Bisley grip makes shooting the heavy big bores much more comfortable and manageable. It’s nice seeing other manufacturers follow suit with this style of grip frame.
Magnum Research also offers a locking base-pin latch from their custom shop, just like Elmer’s on his original #5. It is a very snazzy offering not seen or even offered by many builders.
Tyler Gun Works
Bobby Tyler of Tyler Gun Works utilizes brass grip frames from Ronnie Wells on his #5 builds. The brass grip frames accent the blued frames beautifully on the guns. Adding engraving really makes things “pop” on his custom builds. While not copying true #5’s per se, you can see the influence on Bobby’s guns. His use of engraving, metal finishes and the blending of brass to blued steel adds style and grace to his custom builds.
Tank examining Elmer’s #5.
The Ruger Bisley
Bill Ruger brought out his rendition of the Bisley in 1984. Although not a true copy, it has a fuller grip than Colt’s, having less radius on the inner strap. I got my first Ruger Bisley after years of shooting “Ruger Only” .45 Colt handloads and never looked back. Traditional plow-handle Ruger revolvers are small in my hand, and their shape is not conducive to managing heavy recoil.
More importantly, the grip angle is different. Now, recoil comes straight back into the meaty part of my palm, saving my knuckle in the process. Additionally, the Bisley hammer’s stylish drooping curve accommodates one-handed cocking during target shooting while also adding a stylish look!
The Bisley is my favorite factory grip design among Ruger’s big-bore calibers. It’s no surprise that custom builders like John Linebaugh used the Ruger Bisley model as their platform for their custom builds.
Grip-frame Guru
Ronnie Wells is the grip-frame guru of the sixgunner world. I guarantee he has the perfect grip-frame for you. It will fit your hand while taming recoil when shooting big boomers. Ronnie has over 300 current and future model grip-frames in the making. He can size up most people’s grip-frame needs with a two-minute phone conversation. He uses CNC machines and offers brass and aluminum grip-frames. He told me each grip frame goes through a total of 147+ different cuts while being machined.
#5 Samples
For the #5 grip frame alone, Ronnie has 64 different variants to choose from. First, there’s the old model or the new model style Blackhawk. Next is the thickness of the frame, .500″ or .440″. Then there are Bisley, Dragoon, OM, or NM-shaped trigger guards? Other considerations are the amount of space from the rear of the trigger guard to your knuckle.
Last Word
Elmer Keith’s #5 was certainly not the end-all to custom sixguns. Rather, it was just the beginning. Many choose the #5 pattern for their first custom, and I understand that. Emulating our heroes that way makes us feel more connected to them, but I think Elmer’s influence was simply stating to have your shooter, either sixgun, or rifle, made the way you want for your needs.
THE COMBAT VET BABOON
Jackie the baboon mustered off to war alongside his
human counterpart replete with uniform, pay book and mess kit.
Albert Marr was a farmer in South Africa soon after the turn of the 20th Century. Had the world seen fit to leave him alone, Marr no doubt would have lived out his life in peace and anonymity. However, the world had other plans.
Farming in Africa is not fundamentally dissimilar to farming in other places, with the possible exception of the wildlife. Africa enjoys the richest collection of animal life on the planet. From plains-grazing ungulates to enormous carnivorous aquatic reptiles to the largest terrestrial mammals in the world,
Africa has forever been the destination for hunters and naturalists serious about their craft. Africa also plays host to some of the world’s most remarkable primates.
Living and working in such a vast natural milieu, Albert Marr interacted with lions, leopards and African hoofed stock on a regular basis. One day, while out on his modest farm, he came across an orphaned baby baboon. Marr scooped him up, took him home, and resolved to raise the little monkey as his own. He named the adolescent simian Jackie.
A Curious Family Pet
To this point, this is a quaint story but little else. I have several local friends who raised raccoons as children. I myself had a brace of rambunctious fox squirrels that kept me company when I was a burgeoning man-child. However, in 1914, World War 1 conflagrated. A year later, Marr was drafted. By then, he had grown terribly fond of the family baboon.
Many of the Allied units drawn up to fight in the first War to End All Wars were regional outfits. Forming military units out of men who had been neighbors was a two-edged sword. On the one hand, the pre-existing familiarity went a long way toward fomenting the esprit necessary to establish unit cohesion.
The flip side was that the inevitable losses stung that much more. When Marr reported for conscription, he insisted on bringing Jackie the baboon along with him. Much to everyone’s surprise, his commanders were good with it. It seemed Jackie was going to war.
Smart, agile, cunning and fast, baboons are social creatures who form strong familial bonds in the wild. As Jackie had been raised on the Marr farm, humans were his tribe. Both man and monkey were sworn into the 3rd South African Infantry Regiment (Transvaal) and immediately took to soldiering. Jackie was designated the unit mascot forthwith.
The grunts of the 3rd South African Infantry Regiment
developed a deep and abiding attachment for Jackie.
The Militarized Monkey
The men of the 3rd South African Regiment scrounged up an appropriately-scaled uniform, hat and mess gear. The little monkey was even issued his own paybook. In short order, he learned to stand at attention, assume the position of at ease, recognize and salute superior officers, and light his comrade’s cigarettes.
He ate with a knife and fork like a human, washed up in his own personal basin, and marched alongside the human soldiers during close order drill.
Once serving downrange, Jackie was more than just a pet. He would stand guard duty with the unit sentries at night, his keen senses a boon to tactical operations.
Jackie invariably was the first to detect a pending attack by the Boche. However, Europe during World War I was a terribly dangerous place.
During the Battle of Delville Wood early in the Somme Campaign, Marr and Jackie were among the scant 20% of their unit that avoided being killed or seriously injured. In the winter of 1916, Marr caught a round in the shoulder during the Battle of Agagia while serving in Egypt. Jackie remained by his side, licking the man’s wounds until he could be evacuated.
The strain of combat took a toll on Jackie just as it did his human counterparts. While languishing in the trenches in France under fire, Jackie occupied himself constructing a modest wall behind which he might hide from incoming shells. However, during one particularly heavy barrage, a piece of shrapnel caught Jackie in the leg and arm. The courageous monkey was medically evacuated and treated by the unit surgeons. They reluctantly amputated his right leg and, in so doing, saved his life.
Finally Home
In the aftermath of his injury, Jackie was promoted to corporal and granted an award for bravery, the Pretoria Citizens Service Medal. I can only imagine what it must have felt like to be a human private in his unit and find oneself outranked by a one-legged monkey. Jackie eventually came home with Albert and was presented with his own discharge papers.
Jackie thrived once back home but tragically perished in a house fire in 1921. After having survived so much pain, carnage and death, to have succumbed under such pedestrian circumstances made his passing all the more tragic. His friend Albert Marr, however, lived a long, full life, eventually passing away in 1973 at age 84.
War is the most inhuman of human pursuits. Politicians make the policies, and young men do the bleeding and dying. In this poignant tale of one combat veteran and his crippled pet baboon, we see personified the raw inhumanity of the thing. Perhaps Jackie the war monkey has a message for us all today.